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Since I bought a .22 Hornet some years ago I rarely go rabbiting with a .22 LR any more. Mine's a Brno ZKW 465, and it is light and very accurate. I don't download it, and usually use 40 gn bullets at about 3000 fps, but I also make headshots, so damage to anything edible is zero. I also have dropped a fair number of hares, feral cats, foxes and the odd few feral pigs with it, though it is less than ideal on the pigs - you really have to pick your shots.

I also use bigger calibres. One in particular being the 7x57R, currently in the form of the third barrel on a Krieghoff drilling. I don't use any special small-game loads here either - usually a 150 gn softpoint, such as Winchester's Power Point. Again, with headshots, the damage to the edible part of a rabbit is pretty much zero - they are more or less neatly decapitated - and yet I can double up on any deer or pig or goat that might happen along.

Hey Seafire,

I saw your thread concerning the Unique loads too. I will definetly try them as well.

What didn't you like about the Ruger?

The Howa Mini is on my list as it seems to be alot of gun for the price. Hopefully Whittaker's will get them back in stock for the $329 price.

Here is a photo of the Blue Dot loads I shot in my Tikka T3x in 223 at 100 yards. I was using the 45 grain Sierra SP and from left to right:

8.0 grains which averaged 2005 fps,
9.0 grains which averaged 2205 fps,
10.0 grain which averaged 2380 fps.

Mule Deer's article was in Handloader if I remember correctly. It has been awhile since I read it. Don't remember the issue number.

Seafire's blue dot loads are here:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/11038926/1

I know it is blasphemy, but I have never liked any rifle I had chambered in 22 LR. I appreciate one being light weight, but I have never really liked a rimfire action. They are pan in the ass to clean. I am too OCD to leave something dirty and most actions are very hard to get a good cleaning on the inside. Plus, no one makes a bore guide where some of your cleaning solvent doesn't drip into the magazine area. Don't get me started on cleaning the back of the barrel where the extractor cut out is located.

I've tried Ruger 10-22, Remington 541, Cooper 57, CZ 455, CZ 452, Marlin 25, Anschutz 64 to name a few and I just don't like them. Also I always preferred something on the power level of the 22 Magum, but I ran into the same problem of not liking the platforms they were chambered in. I think a light weight centerfire loaded down to 22 Mag - 22 Hornet velocities will give me what I want. Plus, where I hunt I run into more black bear and coyote than in years past and I want something more than a 22 LR in my hands.

Plus I still haven't gotten over the rimfire ammo drying up as it did. I was taken by surprise as many were. I didn't like the feeling of having a rifle which I couldn't get ammo and no way to reload my own.

Another thing I hate is the accuracy of the 22 LR. Yes they can be accurate with the use of wind flags and match ammo, but I don't want to got that extreme. It is very wind sensitive and I don't sit inside to shoot and I would like a more aerodynamic projectile to shoot which I can reload myself.

I know this won't work for everyone, but that is where I am coming from.

OUCH!!!

I thought about the 357 Magnum too. There was a guy on here named Jerry Lester who used to post. He used a Marlin 1894 and I believe a Ruger revolver loaded down to hunt small game. Ruger makes their 77 in a stainless bolt action. Another option would be the Marlin lever or the T/C contender. I used to have one of the Marlin's and I sold it, wanting something different. It was a very accurate lever. I never shot anything with it other than paper, so I never got to see how it worked on game. At the time I also had a 336 in 35 Remington and took it to the woods instead.

Agreed. Love mine. Mild report and absent recoil, (in a rifle). Knocks the spit out of the steel plates at 100 too.

I test fired some new handloads using the Hornady 140 gr FTX a few weeks ago. Interesting that the point of impact (@ 100) was about a foot higher than the 158gr XTP hollow point.

You didn't mention a price range. At the upper end, nice Browning .32/20s can be found fairly easily. Also were some Marlins in .32 mag, .25/20, .218, etc, but they're pretty pricey now, and generally not as nice. If the Henry singles ever get commonly available, one of those in .30/30, .223, .308, or the promised .357 could be downloaded, with hot ones carried for your bears. I want to see one in person myself before I get too excited.

Some years back I loaded up some 110gr Speer HPs over some 4759 in a .308 and they were killer-dillers.

A little over 1850 fps, about like 22 mag but with a 60gr bullet instead of a 40gr

Lee

i started with the 25/20 quite a few years ago, and back then it was easy to find both winchester & remington brass....i got a pretty good supply of both, and have neck sized since then, so have been pretty set. my RP cases are nickle plated and i keep hi-velocity loads in those.

a year or 2 back during the gun frenzy, most makers were trying to crank out as many components as possible that could be stuffed into AR's, and everyone forgot about making 25/20-friendly bullets; the hornady 60gr and speer 75 FN bullets dried up, and the Rem 86gr bullets were dropped; i started shooting some assorted cast bullets...still had a pretty good stash of speer 75's, but decided to use those cautiously, in case the component drought continued...plus, cast were only about $35 for 500 count, last time i looked they were still only about $40 lately.

i never had much luck getting great accuracy from the hornady 60's.... Speer used to make a 60gr spire point in .257 that shoots great, i still have several hundred of those, but save them for hunting....when sighted with the Speer 60's at max speeds, my carbine shoots my cast bullet mild loads to almost the same POI at 50 yards, so i can pretty much use them both with no sight change for squirrel hunting. The 60's at max speeds tear critters up when pushed fast, about like the .22hornet in splatter, and maybe a tad more so.

good thread to browse, when looking for 25/20 recipes:

Malin 25/20 data...

really thought hard on that one when i ordered it; as they had just began offering the .327fed as an option....but in the end, decided on the .32mag; figured i'd most likely not load it up, and was only trying for 1000-1500fps, which the .32mag easily does in carbine barrels. I already had the .30reece (.30x357) that will get almost blackout speeds, so when i wanted more oomph, i use the 30reece with 110/125gr bullets pushed up to 2200fps.

The 32mag carbine barrel will hold sub-1-inch groups at 50 yards with pretty much all the .32 bullets i've tried, and the low muzzle blast is nice...sounds about like .22LR hi-velocity loads. Plus, 5 gr of powder & cast bullets makes for cheap shooting.

Hunted grey squirrels in PENN with a 222 REM back in the early 90s, head shots only of course.

Get a Browning .22 semi-auto take-down rifle. It will spoil all other .22's for you

But maybe I'm biased. Granddad had a Remington Model 24 he bought in the early 30's for about $20. It was a licensed version of the Browning design. Brothers and I grew up shooting it. when I got out of the service in '74 the first big purchase I made was a Browning version. Cost me $125 back then. Have put thousands of rounds through it, my girls have grown up shooting it and it still shoots as well as ever. After Granddad and Dad died, I got the Remington Model 24, too. Shorts only. It still shoots very, very well, but it is only about 87 years old.

You can download a .223 to .22LR, but for plinking fun, why bother with the time and expense? I download .45-70's with hardcast to .22 velocities but the bullets weigh 300-350g and their capability on target is far greater than a .22. Fun rounds (my girls love them, as do I), but they are not for general purpose plinking.

True that, and the 22 inch "shorts only" is even more of a prize! I have to include the Remington Model 121 Fieldmaster as one of the best all-timers too.


DMc : )

Went through a period when I was captivated by the .35 Remington. I still love the round.

Remington Model 7, .35 Remington



Remington Model 600, 35 Remington



Remington Model 7600, 35 Remington



I loaded them down to accept jacketed lightweight .357 hollowpoint pistol bullets. Absolutely one of the most fun plinking rounds you could develop. So explosive! (I referred to them as my mini-grenades.)


DMc : )


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Nice looking rifle. How do you like the peep sight?

I forgot about the Henry single shots. It will be interesting to see what chamberings they will offer in the future.

I agree with you concerning the Marlins. They are priced too high for what you get. The Browning are nice, I saw one in 218 bee a few months back, but couldn't get my wallet out to buy it

An older guy I hunted with use to carry an over/under Savage 222 over 20 gauge. He killed everything with it and I mean everything. The triple deuce is a great cartridge.

I am not familiar with the model. Do I seach Browning 22 Semi Auto?

Nice collection of 35 Remingtons. I have always had a soft spot for the cartridge. Did you ever try slow the .357 bullets down to use for game?